A new outdoor exhibit, which tells the story of Portsoy’s geological heritage, has been unveiled at the Salmon Bothy Museum, by Lord-Lieutenant of Banffshire, Mr Andrew Simpson. Created using an impressive array of locally sourced stones, the geology wall will offer visitors an interesting visual display of the diverse variety of rocks found along Portsoy’s coastline. Hand crafted by Euan Thomson, also known as The Stone Dyker, and Lewis Cooper, the impressive construction stretches for approx. 13 metres and includes informative panels with labelled stone samples and their origins.
The Salmon Bothy is a former working salmon house dating back to 1834. In 2009 it was fully restored and reopened as a museum and community space called, Upstairs at the Salmon Bothy. It is run by a team of volunteers and showcases displays, artefacts and information about Portsoy’s historic harbours, the fishing industry and trade. The geology wall will provide a stunning feature to welcome visitors and complement the wide range of historical displays inside the museum, showcasing the geological foundation on which Portsoy is based.
Anne McArthur, volunteer and manager of the Salmon Bothy commented: “Portsoy’s coastline is world-famous for its geology. It is home to a dramatic section of metamorphic rocks, squeezed and heated by the mountain building events that laid the foundations of the Scottish Highlands.
“For several years we have shared the story of Portsoy’s remarkable geological history in the museum and to give our visitors an educational, yet visually stunning insight into the Portsoy’s geology we enlisted the help of Euan Thomson and Lewis Cooper, who took over four months to piece together, by hand, this stunning wave-shaped drystone dyke. It features key rock types found in the outcrop along the Portsoy shoreline from the East Brae to the West Brae, and especially those in the tectonic zone where Portsoy marble is found.”
Information panels along the wall present various types of rocks found in the Portsoy area, with samples such as Quartzite, Garnet–Amphibolite, Portsoy Marble, Portsoy Augen Granite, Cowhythe Gneiss, Tourmaline Pegmatite, and Boyne Marble. Inside the museum, visitors can view a geological map of the Portsoy shoreline to identify the specific locations where these samples were collected, providing valuable insights into the region’s unique geology.
“Working closely with the geology department at Aberdeen University, the Salmon Bothy has hosted field visits from students and accommodated group tutorials Upstairs at the Salmon Bothy, which is a fully equipped conference and events space, said Anne.
“We have also held a series of events at the Salmon Bothy, exploring Portsoy’s shoreline and taking a closer look at rock specimens under the microscope. There have also been guided walks around Portsoy to delve deeper into the rock formations of the coastline, which have been popular, so we plan to run more of these types of workshops and events in the future.
In Case You Missed it:
“While the museum is closed during the winter months, the geology wall remains accessible to both visitors and locals year-round and to celebrate this we have a section of the wall with an inscription in Doric: ‘Tae the gweed fowk o Portsoy, lang syne, noo and forever mair,’ which translates to ‘To the good folk of Portsoy, in days gone by, now and forever more.”
The planning, development, and installation of the Salmon Bothy geology wall would not have been possible without financial donations and work donated in-kind by the local community. The Salmon Bothy is run by a dedicated team of volunteers and is open from 2pm-4pm on Friday and Saturday, 10am – 12noon on Sunday and 2pm-4pm on Monday. For more information visit www.salmonbothy.org.
Portsoy Community Enterprise is a social enterprise driven by a passionate and committed team of volunteers. It brings together an array of assets, events and offerings to keep alive the ingrained heritage and cultures of the north east of Scotland. The organisation was established following the creation of the Scottish Traditional Boat Festival. Intended to be a one-off event to celebrate the 300th year of Portsoy’s harbour in 1993, it has now become one of the leading events on Scotland’s summer calendar and welcomes thousands of visitors to celebrate the region’s rich cultural heritage. PCE comprises of the Portsoy Salmon Bothy, the Boatshed, Portsoy Links Caravan Park and the Sail Loft. Working collaboratively, the whole organisation aims to provide economic benefit from tourism for the town of Portsoy and the surrounding area, with all of PCE’s assets belonging to the community. For further information visit www.portsoy.org.
